Thread: 3.4 speculation

Originally Posted by Enkidoh

SE admitted they're still trying to find out what to do with the Grand Companies (which is why we haven't gotten new rank promotions yet), so I doubt that very much.

I think that's quite an old statement, given we're getting new gear and new ranks in 3.4... I think we're also getting the starts of that whole "lead your own squad" thing, too...

Originally Posted by Enkidoh

Also Nestama is correct that Gyr Abania (the region where Ala Mhigo is), is closer physically to the Black Shroud than Coerthas (remember, Ala Mhigo actually invaded the Black Shroud a century before in the Autumn War, because Gridania was their nearest neighbour).

I wasn't arguing otherwise, I'd say the path through Larkscall would lead to Gyr Abania, almost certainly given the teaser at the end of 3.3 is pretty much located there. I was saying Coerthas Eastern Highlands could easily connect to Xelphatol given the geography and strong Ixali force in the region. There is a clear route through Ixali territory through Coerthas, and I see no reason why it wouldn't connect to Xelphatol (which may or may not connect to Gyr Abania), they came from Xelphatol after all... Arguably they should have a similar route into the Shroud, but the only one I can make out is an air route across a lake... It's possible a new area could provide a more solid route of course, but for now Coerthas Eastern Highlands seems the best bet...

I suppose the Lily Hills area that's in development (based on the preliminary patch notes and correction in the actual patch notes) could provide a route, given it's sitting nicely north of Gridania... I really hope that was a mistake that hints towards new Hamlet Defense style content in 3.4... Works with the squad we're meant to be getting, too...

Originally Posted by Nalien

I think that's quite an old statement, given we're getting new gear and new ranks in 3.4... I think we're also getting the starts of that whole "lead your own squad" thing, too...

It was my understanding we'll only get new gear, not ranks. I could very well have remembered this wrong though. I think originally it was supposed to go into 3.3 or 3.35 even, but got delayed. Maybe we will get new ranks after all.

Originally Posted by Valenth

It was my understanding we'll only get new gear, not ranks. I could very well have remembered this wrong though. I think originally it was supposed to go into 3.3 or 3.35 even, but got delayed. Maybe we will get new ranks after all.

A: There were some setbacks in the planning stage, but we're expecting to have this ready for Patch 3.4 as of the current schedule. However, I cannot make any promises as to whether they will be able to enter dungeons alongside you at the time they are added to the game. We're also planning to unlock the first lieutenant rank for Grand Companies at the same time. These ranks will not be ready for Patch 3.3, although there will be new Grand Company equipment.

* Yoshida mentions second lieutenant rank in the video, however the rank that will unlock at the same time as platoons will be the first lieutenant rank.
* The video introduces a picture of the new Grand Company equipment.

Source

Honestly, I struck me as kind of odd that they would even release gear before new ranks... They already did that with Hunts... From what I recall, we were actually meant to get new ranks ages ago, they just weren't going to have anything interesting with them... I think the <Company> Elite gear was meant to be for the new ranks, given Hunts were not originally planned content, rather just something hastily implemented to appease demand for XI style NMs... For a long time they've said they want to implement something new along with new ranks though, hence the delay, and I'd be willing to bet that whatever Lily Hills is being developed into is involved in the new ranks, given they both seem to be 3.4 content...

I'd hope it's Hamlet Defense... They could do a lot better than what 1.0 offered and improve a lot upon the Besieged/Campaign framework from XI, I suspect our little squad will function like Retainers if this is the case; Rather than us directly trading things in to prepare the Hamlet, we order around our squad to improve various statistics for the defense... That's what I hope at least, I'm entirely ready to be entirely disappointed and get nothing, as usual... I guess the more logical conclusion is that Lily Hills will be involved in that new Housing system we've gotten bugger all information on...